In Our Secrets
by lynnsey626
Summary: "I've been labeled as the 'new girl' for the past week now. Adam, Bree, and Chase don't know that I've been watching them and I know their dirty, little secret. They don't know I'm just like them."
1. Chapter 1: Dylan

Dylan's POV

I can almost hear my taste buds yearn for the tantalizing apple. It's like they know it's the only thing the school offers that's actual food. I clumsily stumble around the cafeteria, my eyes scanning for a seat that is yet to be claimed. Then I hear someone call my name. I pivot in my sneakers and see Bree waving at me. I crack a smile that fades before it reaches the corner of my lips and trip over to the table that she's sitting at with her brothers.

"Hey Dylan," Chase greets as I sit between him and his step-brother, Leo. I flick my eyebrows up to return the message.

Leo rummages through his backpack and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper. "Bree, can you sign this?"

"What is it?" she asks, extending her arm to retrieve the paper.

"Oh, you know, just some paperwork..."

"Leo, why didn't you get Tasha or Mr. Davenport to sign this?" Bree scorns. My eyes slowly rise until she is in my vision. Davenport.

"Big D would've grounded me," Leo defends himself.

The next couple seconds are filled with silence until an ear-wrenching megaphone screech fills the room and Principal Perry's raspy voice is amplified through the speakers. "Listen up, germ wads!" I wince at the sound of her voice. "I've been thinking of ways to make you even more miserable and I've made the decision that starting tomorrow, the entire student body will be required to wear school uniforms."

A chorus of groans and gasps come from all around the cafeteria. I, myself, contribute to the ensemble as the closing act. I stand on my seat and elevate myself above everyone else. "Principal Perry, we are not going to sit here and let you force these unfair rules on us," I say. Everyone is silent and their fear is heavy in the air.

"I don't get it," Adam utters from behind me. "How would uniforms make us miserable?" Chase, Leo, and Bree roll their eyes.

"Well, Toolbox," Perry spits, "instead of wearing that nice shirt you have on, you'll have to wear a much worse shirt."

Adam thinks for a minute. "Oh, that does sound miserable."

I turn around to face him and make sharp hand gestures at him. "Adam, stop talking," I command. The bell rings for next period and everyone starts to exit the cafeteria. Perry left without a word.

Chase takes my hand and helps me down from the chair. "You must have some gut to talk to Perry like that."

"Not really," I say, cracking a grin. I take my tray and head for the garbage can.

"Hey, let me take that for you," Adam suggests, taking the tray out of my grasp.

"Oh, you don't have to do that." I gaze into his big, brown eyes and can't help but smile. Adam returns the expression.

Chase notices our telepathy and swiftly barges in between us. "She's right, Adam. You don't have to do that," Chase grunts, snatching the tray away from his brother. "But I do." The unsettling tension between the brothers doesn't come across as unusual. Adam grabs the opposite side of the tray and abruptly pulls it towards him, but Chase doesn't let go. I awkwardly stand aside and watch the two play tug-of-war until the runny mashed potatoes tumbles off the tray and splatters all over me. I'm frozen with an unknown emotion churning in my blood. I wipe the food out of my eyes only to see Adam and Chase still fighting. Suddenly, Adam's eyes turn bright red and blazing lasers shoot out of his eyes, melting the tray, barely missing Chase's hand.

I step back in shock. "What just happened?" I know what happened, but I play dumb so they don't know about me. I can't take any chances even though I have my suspicions about them.

"Adam!" Chase, Bree, and Leo shout in unison.

Adam glances at me and soon realizes what he did. "Oh," he says.

The three boys all run out of the cafeteria in a panic, but Bree comes over to me with a napkin and aids me while I clean the potatoes out of my hair.

"No offense, but you really should've seen that coming. You are the shiny new girl," Bree explains.

I pout and try not to whimper. "Is it always like this?" I rake the mashed potatoes out of my long, dark hair with my fingers and throw it on the ground.

Bree insouciantly drops her shoulders. "Hey, why don't you come over to my house after school?"

"Sure. That sounds fun," I respond as I wipe my hands with a napkin. "Thanks Bree. You should get to class. Don't want to be late."

Bree giggles and picks up her backpack. "I'm not worried." A weird expression spills over my face, but I manage to sneak in a smile. Bree is my first real friend, but it turns out, we're actually so much more than that.

I turn around to retrieve my backpack and a gust of wind sends my hair sweeping across my face. My vision is blurred, but when I turn back around, it is clear that Bree is gone. I pull my hair back into a tight ponytail and follow the dark skid marks that are left on the wood floor.

Chase's POV

"Adam, what were you thinking? You could've blown our entire secret!" I hiss at him in a way that's hardly audible or comprehensible.

"I'm sorry. I shoot lasers. That's just what I do," Adam answers breathlessly. I sigh to myself. He always pulls that same, lame excuse.

"Alright, just don't let it happen again. We've already had too many close calls. No one can know about our bionics," I sneer. Adam lazily nods to say he understands.

Bree runs up from behind us and screeches to a stop. "Dylan's coming over to our house after school," she says. My eyebrows knit together.

"Why would you invite her over?" I snap. I attempt to ignore my angst, but it's still there like a hot poker in my gut. Bree takes a minute to gather her words.

"I think we scared her before. We need to convince her that we're totally normal."

"But we're not normal," Adam sneers.

Bree scoffs at him, but he's right. We're not normal, and the hardest thing to do is be something you're not.


	2. Chapter 2: The Real Truth

**Bree's POV**

Adam, Chase, Leo, and Dylan trail behind me as we strut up to the front door. Mr. Davenport is watching the 3D hologram TV on the couch when we enter, but it is immediately turned off when we walk in with a stranger in the crowd. Mr. Davenport shoots up from the couch with astonishment etched into his expression.

"Hey, Mr. Davenport! Principal Perry's making us wear uniforms!" Adam shouts to replace the maladroit silence. "It's miserable," he continues with a dramatic sigh. Chase furrows his eyebrows towards Adam. Even though we've all gotten used to Adam's stupidity, some of the things he says and does still surprises us.

Mr. Davenport vacantly stares at Dylan. It creeps us out, so I take the liberty of introducing them. "...Dad-dy," I stammer, "...this is-"

"Dylan," my father finishes for me. My brothers and I exchange looks. A million questions race through my mind and they all long for answers.

Dylan shyly waves before she speaks. "Hi, Mr. Davenport," she peeps.

Chase is the first one to overcome the traumatism and talk. "How do you two know each other?" His words are shakily laced together with fear and shock.

Mr. Davenport's intake of breath is highly audible, like he's about to dump some huge news on the three of us, like the time when we discovered that Douglas is our "real" father. Adam, Chase, and I brace ourselves.

"Dylan is the fourth member of this experiment. She's bionic, like you guys," Mr. Davenport spills. My eyes become huge, almost popping out of their sockets, and my jaw hangs unhinged like a cartoon character. I glare at Dylan, and I know that my brothers do too.

"Someone's got some explaining to do," Leo sings with mockery manipulating his choice of words.

Adam strolls over to our father. "I think he's talking about you," he loudly whispers, his lips by Davenport's ear.

Leo nods in approval. "I'll leave you to it Big D," he yells as he trips up the stairs. We all know he's still listening, though.

"What are you talking about?" I snap, looking back at Mr. Davenport.

"Yeah. It's always been the three of us," Chase adds, putting his arms around Adam and I.

Mr. Davenport clenches his hand around Dylan's wrist and pulls her over to him. "Yeah, I know, but when Douglas created you guys, he also created Dylan. She's enhanced with all three of your abilities," he explains. I feel a burning passion inside of me, a fury that I cannot tame.

"Then how come we've never met before?" Adam inquires.

"Well...once I realized what Douglas planned to do with you, I took you away from him, including Dylan, but she's always been so independent and brave," my father narrates, draping his arm around Dylan's shoulders. "She ran away before anything else could happen."

Chase swerves in front of all of us. "Well you can forget it, Mr. Davenport. We're not gonna let some bionic peak human hijack our team," he argues. The zenith of my rage occurs when it's still simmering. Maybe that's because I don't actually know what I'm angry about. But that's exactly what I've always thought anger is: misplaced fear and sadness. Slowly, it starts to fade.

"Oh come on, Chase," Leo begins, almost plummeting down the stairs. "Dylan's awesome."

"Plus, I really need a girl my age around here," I reply. I fall on the couch and Dylan sits next to me.

"Yeah! Can we keep her? Pretty, pretty please?" Adam begs.

"No!" Chase shouts. Dylan is discrete as she hugs her knees up by her chest.

"Chase, can I talk to you," Davenport questions. Chase exhales through his pursed lips and he follows Mr. Davenport into the kitchen. "Adam, Bree, Leo, take Dylan down to the lab."

**Chase's POV**

"Mr. Davenport, don't take this the wrong way, but why does Dylan have to stay here?" I ask, not sure if Dylan can hear me or not. It crosses my mind that she might have my bionic hearing. . . .

"Chase, if this is about the missions, Dylan's not a replacement for the three of you. She has new abilities that can help you complete the missions quicker and easier and safer," he clarifies. I can understand his train of thought, but something sets me off again.

"We don't need her. We've always completed our missions on time. Besides, we don't even have any room to put her," I quarreled. Mr. Davenport nods.

"We'll make room." His voice is seared with an uncanny seriousness that I've never heard him enforce before.

I don't know why I don't want Dylan here. She's a nice girl.

Maybe that's just it.

**Bree's POV**

"So what other abilities do you have?" I ask.

Dylan sits on the desk in the middle of the lab. "Well, I can manipulate the 4 elements," she offers.

"Huh?" Adam breathes.

Dylan smiles, finding his idiocy hopelessly adorable. "The 4 elements? You know, fire, earth, water, air...?"

Adam, being his usual big bag of air on a pair of shoulders, pounces at Dylan. "WOW!" he exclaims, "SHOW ME!" he says in a very curious tone.

"I don't have that much training..." Dylan says.

"OH! CAN YOU TURN ME INTO AN APPLE?"

Dylan idly stares at Adam with discontent- and says "no." Adam sighs with disappointment inflicted within.

"Why would you even want to be an apple?" Leo scoffs. Adam returns the harsh attitude that Leo implied.

"So I can go to New York and be in proper attire to meet the 'Big Apple.' I don't want it to think I'm not a fan."

"Oh, you're definitely a big apple," I sneer. Adam is excited, grinning his cheeky grin. The wind-blown sound of the elevator opening dances into our eardrums and Chase and Mr. Davenport exit into the lab.

Chase solemnly strides towards Dylan and places her shoulder in his palm. "Dylan, you are more than welcome to stay here with us," he mumbles. He glares back at Davenport. A ray of wrinkles appear across Mr. Davenport's forehead when his eyebrows inch up his face like there's more that he wants Chase to say. "And...you can come on missions with us," Chase groans. Dylan's lips curve into an insincere smile to match Chase's insincere invite.

My brother is truly a puzzle.


	3. Chapter 3: The Fault in her Capsule

**Dylan's POV**

I've been living with the Dooley-Davenports for a few days now, and Chase hasn't seemed to let down his guard. Four of us sit on the couch, Chase at my feet, and watch some corny children's show on TV.

The elevator comes to a hissing stop in the kitchen and Mr. Davenport gracefully skips over to us in his jubilance, ever so lightly balancing on his pasty, doll-like legs.

"Hey _Mrs_. Davenport," Adam teases, placing his arm on the back of the couch around Bree and me. I attempt to suppress my laughter, but I epically fail.

Chase rises from the ground and struts over to Mr. Davenport. "Okay, what came in the mail today?" he asks, rolling his eyes.

Davenport finishes his performance- and says, "Dylan's capsule is done!" he announces. We all simultaneously jump off the couch and race to the lab. Chase hesitantly follows us, several paces behind us.

I can barely contain my excitement as the elevator doors open and we are greeted by the underground lab that I've gotten so used to. Stood up in front of the furthest wall, I see a fourth glass capsule aligned with Adam, Bree, and Chase's.

"Ooh! Which one is mine?" I squeal, clapping my hands in excitement. Adam, Bree, Leo and I jog over to the capsules before Davenport can answer.

"Second from the right; between Bree and Chase," he answers, typing in something on the keyboard in front of the capsules. Adam gently opens the door for me like he's afraid he might tear it off, which he can very easily do. I skip up into the capsule and Leo locks the door. They all stand behind Mr. Davenport and smile at me.

**Chase's POV**

I watch Dylan jump into her capsule. Her hair, which I'm pretty sure she curled this morning, bounces against her back like perfect, little springs as she dances around in her glass surroundings. I've never seen anyone so happy before. Well, except for the time we took Adam to the zoo for the first time.

"Mr. Davenport, this is amazing!" Dylan exclaims, still balletically spinning around inside. Her spirit is undeniably contagious. I crack a genuine smile and run into my capsule, locking the door behind me and start breaking out some moves. Dylan's infectious laughter runs through my veins and I feel it emerging in my chest. A hint of a chuckle escapes my mouth, and once I start, I cannot stop. I laugh until it hurts. Adam, Bree, and Leo begin dancing even though there is no music playing.

"Hey Dylan!" Mr. Davenport yells above the ruckus we are making. We immediately hush up. "Wanna try on your new mission suit?" Mr. Davenport asks, cocking an eyebrow. Dylan nods so fiercely, I'm afraid her head might come flying off. Mr. Davenport slams his fist on a button and Dylan's capsule begins to fog up. We're all captivated until we realize what is happening within those glass walls.

Dylan's voice from inside is muffled but conspicuous, and it is clear that she is frightened. "Um...Mr. Davenport?"

"What's happening?" Bree demands for an answer. My heart sends a pulse through every inch of my body and soon starts gnawing its way up my throat.

"You triggered the heat sanitizer!" I scream, pressing my palms against the glass. I try to escape to save Dylan, but I am locked in. I position myself so I am looking at Dylan. She crumbles into a tiny ball in the floor of her capsule. Mr. Davenport is implying every software update he can to turn off the scorching heat that's boiling Dylan. My face is so close to the glass that I can see my breath become condensed in front of me. I wish  
I could help her.

"The connection between Dylan's capsule must be malfunctioning," Mr. Davenport mumbles under his breath.

Adam screams and holds hands against his temples. "Somebody do something!" he panics.

Leo pushes Adam towards Dylan's capsule. "Hey Bozo, why not ask the one with super strength to break the glass?" he questions sarcastically.

"But Dylan's already trapped inside. We need to get her out," Adam says. "I know it's a little confusing, but just try to keep up."

"He means you!" Bree yells.

"Oh!" Adams face lights up, but then seriousness masks his expression. With a single swing of his fist, the glass is shattered at contact. He effortlessly lifts Dylan over his shoulders and places her on the table. Leo unlocks the door to my capsule and it isn't until I try to walk when I notice my legs are completely numb with fear.

"Oh no," Bree whispers when Dylan doesn't come to. I hang my arm around Leo's shoulder so he can aid me in walking over to everyone else.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine," Mr. Davenport assures. When I get close to chair, I let myself fall into it. Dylan's thick hair is plastered to her neck with sweat. Her eyes are closed and her lashes cast shadows on her cheekbones.

I glance up at Mr. Davenport. "How do you know?" I survey.

"Her bionic chip is enforced will _billions_ of nanobots that fight off foreign substances within her body," he responds.

Bree waves her hand as if she's swatting away gnats. "Wait, so she has bionic healing too?" Davenport nods.

"That's so awesome!" Adam cheers.

"Can nanobots fix this, Mr. Davenport?" I ask, nervously biting down on my knuckles. Mr. Davenport tilts his head to the side as if to say I don't know, but hopefully it will work. I bite down so hard on my knuckles that they turn a pale white tint, and then a startling bright red replaces it. I want to reach out and hold her hand, but something stops me. Her fingers quietly start moving as if she's running her hand across a piano and she ever so slightly crinkles her nose. In other circumstances, someone might've thought it was cute. Slowly, her eyelids reveal her dark eyes that were tinged with red. I could see the despair burning behind her eyes, a halo of dismay outlines her pupils like a solar eclipse.

**Dylan's POV**

It hurts when I open my eyes- in fact, it feels as if my eyelids might crack if I open them anymore. I writhe around on the table only to be rewarded with a razor sharp pain up my side.

"Dylan, are you okay?" Chase murmurs with a seriousness that, despite the warmth overwhelming my body, sends a chill up my spine.

When I try to speak, it hurts as if I'm swallowing sandpaper. So I weakly nod instead. The immense agony that consumes me rapidly reduces itself within a few seconds. It's times like this when I glorify my bionic healing ability.


End file.
